Message Sent Successfully!

E-mail another Friend

A Guide to Southampton

What's on in Southampton

12 November - 23 DecemberThe Southampton Christmas Festival is taking place on Above Bar pedestrian precinct. This free festival features a traditional German market with over 40 independent stallholders. One of the highlights of the festival is a 'Flying Santa' who will take to the sky over the city centre each day!

14 JanuaryThe Comedy Bar: Big Gig returns after 10 years of sell out shows at Nuffield. The biggest and best TV comics, festival favourites and new talent will have the audience doubled-over with laughter.

Southampton City Guide

As one of England’s leading ports, Southampton is a city oozing with medieval heritage. Today, you can explore the old town walls soaking up the beauty of this historical city – take a look at the Jurys Inn’s guide to…Medieval Southampton for more information on top spots to explore. Aside from its rich history, this city offers a wide range of attractions, days out, and entertainment venues for you to discover, peruse below our Southampton city guide and plan your trip today.

Staff Recommends

Best Bar: The Chilworth Arms offers a fantastic country pub, just ten minutes away from Jurys Inn. With a wide range of beers and wines to indulge in, this is the ideal spot to curl up with a drink away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The menu also has a range of delicious food to choose from.

Best Restaurant: Always popular with the locals, the Olive Tree (Oxford Street) offers a large selection of fresh homemade food. Inspired by many classic French bistro dishes, this restaurant offers a delightful dining experience.

Best Kept Secret: The New Forest National Park is Britain's smallest national park and is inhabited by a variety of wildlife, perfect for a day out exploring the countryside. Take a look at our Enchanted New Forest map and guide to plan a trip.

Offering magical evenings catered to all tastes and ages, the Mayflower Theatre is host to many spectacular shows. As the largest theatre in the South, there is always an array of performances from touring musicals (many direct from the West End), operas, and ballets to some of the biggest names in popular music and comedy.

The venue also offers pre/post theatre dining, with packages for theatre tickets, dinner, taxi, and overnight stay with breakfast available at Jurys Inn. This package can be booked online via the theatre’s site or by calling (+44) 2380 711824. Mayflower Theatre is a short ten-minute walk from our Southampton hotel.

O2 Guildhall Southampton

As the South’s largest multi-purpose entertainment venue, O2 Guildhall Southampton is the number one spot to see your favourite acts. The hall hosts a plethora of performances and stars from classic pop to indie rock, as well as offering hospitality services for your exhibition, banquet, or dinner dance!

Situated in the heart of the city centre, just an eight-minute walk from Jurys Inn hotel, and 10 minutes from the railway station, this impressive venue is ideal for catching a show during your stay.

Orange Rooms

Winners of Southampton's Best Bar Award, Orange Rooms is a fantastic retro themed bar, eatery & cocktail lounge. The decor and music transports you back in time as you enjoy great food, a relaxed atmosphere, and a range of themed nights from Monday Night Blues Open Mic to Mixtape Fridays.

If you are looking to book a private event, preferential rates are available for Jurys Inn guests on request. Orange Rooms is a brief six-minute walk from our hotel.

For a day out with a difference, why not explore further afield from the city’s centre? Offering a fantastic activity for all of the family, the Hythe Ferry provides one of the best views of the Queen Mary 2 & Queen Elizabeth 2 in their Southampton home berth as you take to the waters to the small town of Hythe. With a short journey across Southampton Water, Hythe offers historic charm, especially along the pier. The pier is one of the ten longest piers in the British Isles and is the home of the oldest pier train. The town also holds a great little outdoor market on Tuesdays.

A return tickets costs £3.70 for children, and £5.80 for an adult. The ferry departs from the Town Quay, which is a twenty-minute walk from Jurys Inn Southampton.

Southampton Common & Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre

Just a short twenty-minute walk from the city centre and our hotel is a fantastic 326-acre park known as ‘The Common’. A designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and overflowing with flora and fauna, Southampton Common is a fantastic urban oasis to enjoy a winter walk or summer picnic. The park has plenty of attractions for all the family with a paddling pool, play area, woodlands, the country's deepest artesian well, and a large Victorian lake.

Southampton Common is also home to The Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre, which gives visitors the opportunity to learn about the natural history, local ecology, and wildlife of the area through interactive resources and comprehensive displays.

Southampton City Golf Course

Considered one of the finest ‘pay and play’ courses, Southampton City Golf Course offers a fantastic 27 hole course for an exciting all ages day out. The course boasts J.H. Taylor design that provides a fascinating mix of challenges to golfers of all standards. The facilities include a 18-hole practice ground, 2 putting greens and chipping area, practice nets, bar and restaurant, free parking and changing facilities. There are lessons available and for those without a set of clubs, there is clubs hire available.

The course is open seven days a week during daylight hours, tee times are bookable and the course is situated a short bus ride or drive from our Southampton hotel.

Ocean Village

Situated just a short distance from the city centre, Ocean Village, home to the BT Global Challenge, is one of the UK's biggest marina developments. The marina is bursting with restaurants, bars, two cinemas (art-house/independent & Hollywood blockbusters), sailing facilities, and of course, fantastic views. There are boat trips and cruises if you would like to explore further afield from the marina, allowing you to experience Southampton from the water. Take a look at the different cruises and boat trips available for more information on prices and schedules.

Soak up the interesting local history of aviation as you peruse the many aircrafts on display at the Solent Sky Museum. Britain's most famous fighter plane, The Spitfire, was designed by R J Mitchell and built in the heart of the city of Southampton, today, you can see this iconic aircraft at one of Southampton’s unique cultural gems.

Ideal for visitors of all ages, the Solent Sky Museum also offers the opportunity to learn about the streamlined seaplane that competed in the 1929 Schneider Trophy, go on board one of the great Sandringham Flying Boats, or sit at the controls of a jet fighter.

Admission costs £6.50 for adults and £4.50 for children. The museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10am-5pm, opening midday-5pm on Sundays. Located next to the Ocean Village, Solent Sky is a leisurely twenty-four minute walk from Jurys Inn Southampton.

Southampton City Art Gallery

Southampton Art Gallery has the finest collection of 20th century art south of London and regularly holds major exhibitions. The gallery also runs a range of tours, workshops (for both children & adults), and talks with the artists, making this the perfect activity for culture vultures of all ages, whether learning a new skill or soaking up the artwork.

Southampton City Art Gallery is open 10am -3pm Monday- Friday, closing two hours later at 5pm on Saturdays. Admission is free, and the gallery is situated a short seven-minute walk from Jurys Inn.

Old Town

Old Town perfectly displays the city's prosperity during the medieval period, reflected in the town walls, towers, and historic buildings such as the Wool House, Tudor House Museum, and St Michaels Church. About half of the original one-mile circuit of town walls still survives, with 13 of the original 29 towers and six of the eight gates still standing, as well as over 90 listed building and 30 ancient monuments.

The Marlands offers a range of shops from the Disney Store to the Whittards of Chelsea. It is also home to the beautifully quaint and traditional tearoom, ChariTeas, which donates a percentage of every purchase to charity and is the perfect place to enjoy an afternoon indulging in tea and cake.

The Marlands is situated a short ten-minute walk from Jurys Inn Southampton.